Management in Historical Perspective: Stages and Paradigms

Abstract

Based on the premise that ‘History matters’, and looking at the main trends and stages in British management since the late nineteenth century through to the present day, this article provides a rationale for including management history in business school curricula. In particular, in looking at how British managers have made the transition from an essentially ‘salaried’ to a ‘professional’ status, as well as applying Lewin's force-field analysis to tracing the rise of managerial capitalism, we stress the value of taking a long-term perspective in studying the essence and dynamics of managerial change.